Each other, blam'd enough elfewhere; but strive In offices of love, how we may lighten Each other's burden, in our share of wo; Since this day's death denounc'd, if ought 1 fee, Will prove no fudden, but a flow-pac'd evil, A long day's dying, to augment our pain, And to our feed (O hapless feed!) deriv'd.
To whom thus Eve, recov'ring heart, reply'd: Adam, by fad experiment I know
How little weight my words with thee can find, Found fo erroneous, thence by just event
Found fo unfortunate: nevertheless, Reftor'd by thee, vile as I am, to place Of new acceptance, hopeful to regain Thy love, the fole contentment of my heart, Living or dying, from thee I will not hide. What thoughts in my unquiet breast are rifen, Tending to fome relief of our extremes, Or end, though sharp and fad, yet tolerable, As in our evils, and of eafier choice.
If care of our defcent perplex us moft,
Which must be born to. certain. wo, devour'd
By Death at laft; and miferable it is
To be to others cause of mifery,
Our own begott'en, and of our loins to bring Into this curfed world a woful race,
That after wretched life must be at laft
Food for fo foul a monster; in thy pow'r
It lies, yet ere conception, to prevent The race unblefs'd, to be'ing yet unbegot. Childless thou art, childless remain ; fo Death Shall be deceiv'd his glut, and with us two Be forc'd to fatisfy his ravenous maw. But if thou judge it hard and difficult, Converfing, looking, loving, to abftain
From love's due rites, nuptial embraces fweet, And with defire to languifh without hope, Before the present object languishing With like defire, which would be misery
And torment less than none of what we dread; Then both ourfelves and feed at once to free From what we fear for both, let us make short, Let us feek Death; or he not found, fupply With our own hands his office on ourfelves : Why ftand we longer fhiv'ring under fears, That show no end but death, and have the pow'r, Of many ways to die the fhorteft choofing, Deftruction with deftruction to destroy?
She ended here, or vehement despair Broke off the reft; fo much of death her thoughts Had entertain'd, as dy'd her cheeks with pale. But Adam, with fuch counsel nothing fway'd, To better hopes his more attentive mind Lab'ring had rais'd, and thus to Eve reply'd: Eve, thy contempt of life and pleasure feems To argue in thee fomething more fublime And excellent than what thy mind contemns ; But felf-deftruction therefore fought, refutes That excellence thought in thee, and implies, Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret For lofs of life and pleasure overlov'd. Or if thou covet death, as utmost end Of mifery, fo thinking to evade
The penalty pronounc'd, doubt not but God Hath wifelier arm'd his vengeful ire than fo To be foreftall'd; much more I fear left death So fnatch'd will not exempt us from the pain We are by doom to pay; rather fuch acts Of contumacy will provoke the Highest To make death in us live: then let us feek
Some fafer refolution, which methinks I have in view, calling to mind with heed Part of our fentence, that thy feed shall bruise The ferpent's head; piteous amends, unless Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand foe Satan, who in the ferpent hath contriv'd Against us this deceit : to crush his head Would be revenge indeed; which will be loft By death brought on ourselves, or childless days Refolv'd, as thou propofeft; fo our foe Shall 'fcape his punishment ordain'd, and we Inftead shall double ours upon our heads. No more be mention'd then of violence. Against ourselves, and wilful barrennefs, That cuts us off from hope, and favours only Rancour and pride, impatience and despite, Reluctance against God and his juft yoke Laid on our necks. Remember with what mild And gracious temper he both heard and judg'd, Without wrath or reviling: we expected
Immediate diffolution, which we thought
Was meant by death that day; when lo, to thee 1050· Pains only in child-bearing were foretold,
And bringing forth, foon recompens'd with joy,
Fruit of thy womb on me the curse aflope Glanc'd on the ground; with labour 1 muß earn
My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worfe; 1055, My labour will fuftain me and left cold
Or heat should injure us, his timely care
Hath unbefought provided, and his hands.
Cloth'd us unworthy, pitying while he judg'd:
How much more, if we pray him, will his ear 1060.
Be open, and his heart to pity' incline,
And teach us farther, by what means to fhun
Th' inclement feafons, rain, ice, hail, and fnow?.
Which now the fky with various face begins To fhow us in this mountain, while the winds Blow moift and keen, fhattering the graceful locks Of thefe fair spreading trees; which bids us feek Some better shroud, fome better warmth to cherish Our limbs benumb'd, ere this diurnal ftar Leave cold the night, how we his gather'd beams 1070 Reflected, may with matter fere foment,
Or by collifion of two bodies grind
The air attrite to fire, as late the clouds Justling or pufh'd with winds, rude in their shock Tine the flant lightning, whofe thwart flame driv'n down, Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine,
And fends a comfortable heat from far,
Which might fupply the fun: fuch fire to use,
And what may else be remedy or cure
To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought, 1080 He will inftruct us praying, and of grace Befeeching him, fo as we need not fear To país commodiously this life, fuftain'd By him with many comforts, till we end In duft, our final reft and native home. What better can we do, than to the place Repairing where he judg'd us, proftrate fall Before him reverent, and there confefs
Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears Watering the ground, and with our fighs the air 1090 Frequenting, fent from hearts contrite, in fign
Of forr'ow unfeign'd, and humiliation meek; Undoubtedly he will relent, and turn From his difpleasure ; in whose look serene, When angry moft he seem'd, and most severe, What elfe but favour, grace, and mercy fhone?
So fpake our father penitent; nor Eve Felt lefs remorfe: they forthwith to the place
Repairing where he judg'd them, proftrate fell Before him reverent, and both confefs'd Humbly their faults, and pardon begg'd, with tears Watering the ground, and with their fighs the air. Frequenting, fent from hearts contrite, in fign Of forr'ow unfeign'd, and humiliation meek.,
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